Online Store
RBS 6 Nations Apps
RBS 6 Nations Video
RBS RugbyForce
No ALT tag specified

RBS 6 Nations match video highlights

Watch the latest Video highlights
Official Championship App

The Official Championship App

Keep on top of all the action through the official app. Includes video, news, history, stats and more...
No ALT tag specified

RBS 6 Nations Live Challenge App 2013

Click here to learn more!
No ALT tag specified

Official Online Store

RBS 6 Nations full kit range now available online
Official Magazine 2013

Official Magazine 2013

Click here to Download
No ALT tag specified
Taylor wary of confident Azzurri
24 March 2004, 3:18 pm
Wales centre Mark Taylor is expecting a tough final RBS 6 Nations Championship clash when Italy arrive in Cardiff on Saturday.
Italy have yet to win an away match since joining the tournament but, after watching them take the scalp of Scotland, Taylor is expecting to encounter a confident Azzurri.

Italy are a very difficult side to play against, warned the British Lion.

This is probably the best Italy side that has been involved in the Six Nations.

They have been competitive against all the big sides and obviously managed to turn over Scotland.

They will now come over here with an awful lot of confidence and fancy themselves to pull off a win.

However, Taylor believes Wales can take a lot of confidence themselves into the opening match of Super Saturday, despite going down 31-21 to England at Twickenham last weekend.

I think we played well against England. Things clicked for us. The way England defend helped us, because they do show you the outside, said Taylor, who will win his 47th cap on Saturday.

But the big thing in the end was England's set-piece. Towards the end they took control of the game.

Saying that you have to give tremendous credit to our forwards. Everyone says what a great backline Wales has but the forwards contributed to the open style of play.

On occasion it was the forwards who ended up making breaks and we produced 15-man rugby against England.

That goes to show the work done by our skills coach Scott Johnson has borne fruit because everyone is comfortable with ball in hand.

This is the best team I've been involved in with regards the skill and mobility of the players.

Its nice to go to Twickenham and be part of a team like that, with your forwards providing the type of options they are providing it makes it easier for back play.

Much of the talk surrounding the Wales camp is of the national coach with Steve Hansen stepping down on Saturday after two years in charge to be replaced by Mike Ruddock.

And Taylor, who played under Ruddock when he was at Swansea, is hoping the transition is a smooth one.

Mike is obviously is a good coach and I'm sure he will have a lot of talks with Steve Hansen to make it as seamless a transition as possible, he said.


RBS Six Nations Store

 
ADD TO DEL.ICIO.USDel.icio.usShare this page
ADD TO DIGGDiggShare this page
ADD TO FACEBOOKFacebookShare this page
ADD TO GOOGLEGoogleShare this page
ADD TO NEWSVINENewsvineShare this page
ADD TO REDDITRedditShare this page
ADD TO STUMBLEUPONStumbleUponShare this page
ADD TO YAHOO MYWEBYahooShare this page
ADD TO TWITTERTwitterShare this page
Previews & Reports
England Latest
France Latest
Ireland Latest
Italy Latest
Scotland Latest
Wales Latest
Team Statistics onlyinclude Five & Six Nations games from 1992 to the present day
Player Statistics onlyinclude Five & Six Nations appearances since 1992
© 2013 delivered by Sotic powered by OpenText WSM